The Ramifications of Unknown Spells
by forever-a-thief
Summary: After a parting shot from Bellatrix Lestrange, Hermione ends up back at the end of her first year with the intention of fixing everything before it happens, with an unlikely assistant. Warning: Hermione is a BAMF HBIC, there is Dumbledore bashing, and Hermione curses like a sailor.
1. What Happened at Malfoy Manor

Hermione was writhing in agony on the floor of Malfoy Manor, Bellatrix Lestrange's wand pointed at her malevolently. A crazed smile slashed her face in two as she pulled back to throw another _crucio_ at Hermione, except there was an almightly tremor that went through the building and shook Bellatrix off her feet.

She lifted her head weakly from the floor and saw Harry and Ron running up the steps from the basement, where she assumed the others had come from as well. Luna and Mr. Ollivander, as well as an odd goblin, stumbled into the room behind her friends. Ron was running to pick her up from the floor and the others congregated around her. She couldn't hear anything through the pounding blood in her ears, but she saw their mouths open wide, screaming out orders and waving wildly. Suddenly Dobby was grabbing them and they were getting tugged away from the Manor, but not before Hermione saw Bellatrix rise and raise her wand, golden light crackling around her wand as she raised it and threw the spell at their group, not even trying to aim. The group disappeared before Hermione could think to scream a warning.

"Bella," Lucius said shakily, staring at the empty spot where the group had disapperated, curious despite their precarious situation. "What spell was that?"

Bellatrix looked at her wand nonchalantly, sighing breathily. "I don't know. I read something about it in a library, somewhere. The description said something about time and tearing and ripping. Perhaps they'll grow old and be torn apart by the spell! Pity they didn't stick around for me to see for sure," she pouted, turning to walk out of the room as if nothing of import had happened. Lucius watched her go with growing dread, then turned back to where the group of escapees had disappeared.

Hermione felt the spell as it collided with her, and suddenly she realized she was going to die. As they all collapsed on the ground, she shook with pain. Her hand was already starting to shimmer out of existence, she just knew it, even before she lifted it to look at.

"Ron," she gasped, reaching out for him blindly as her vision began to dim. She heard his alarmed shriek and then he was at her side, holding her steadily disappearing hand. "Ron, she hit me. I-I don't think I'm going to make it." She squeezed her eyes tight as an aftershock from the cruciatus passed through her body. Ron tightened his grip, and then she heard him start to cry, dripping tears on her disappearing face and giving her apology after apology.

She cringed, and then calmly cleared her mind, preparing herself for the end. She smiled up at Ron carefully and he smiled sadly back, tears and snot mixing on his face. "It'll be okay, Ron. Just help Harry kill the bastard for me, okay?"

Ron nodded his head and released her hand as it disappeared altogether. The golden light was surrounding her and engulfing her, eating away at her edges until she was gone from sight entirely. Ron sighed shakily, and then he collapsed to the ground in a heap.


	2. Hermione's Reaction

When Hermione opened her eyes, she couldn't believe she could at all. Looking around warily, she found herself sprawled on the dungeon floor of Hogwarts. Jumping up as quickly as possible, Hermione ran to an empty classroom and hid herself away, clearing her mind and taking deep, even breaths to calm down.

When she thought she might be able to move through the castle a bit more stealthily, she disillusioned herself, cast _muffliato_ to quiet her footsteps, and warily left the classroom. It was nighttime, probably near midnight, she mused as she looked outside from the high windows she passed. It was while she was distracted by the view of the Black Lake through one of the seventh floor windows when she bumped into him.

As she whirled backward, wand raised, Hermione realized her grave mistake in bumping right into the one person she was trying to avoid. Severus Snape righted himself, and glared at the empty space before him, flicking his eyes from side to side to see if there was any clue where the invisible person was.

"Shit," she grumbled, and his eyes flew to her. Her heart pounded in her chest for a horrifying moment as he stalked forward, fury obvious on his face.

"Potter!" Snape growled, pointed in her general direction. Finally, Hermione snapped out of it and cast a strong, silent _incarcerous_. He fell to the floor in a heap, a huff of breath escaping him. She removed the charm on herself and glared down at him, glowering with all her strength.

"You!" she hissed, shoving her wand beneath his chin so she could see his face better. She looked him over in disgust. "Seems being Headmaster really brought your health back up," she spat. The man on the floor before her was thin, but he had a healthy palor to his skin that she hadn't seen on him since the beginning of her first year.

He looked at her in confusion, but Hermione ignored him. She levitated him up and stuffed a transfigured rag into his mouth as a gag. Then she disillusioned both of them and took off down the hallway, heading toward the Headmaster's office. If she could just speak to Dumbledore's portrait, she might be able to figure out what to do next.

When she reached the gargoyle, she realized that she didn't know the password, and carefully removed the charm and rag from Snape. She glared him into silence and then said, "What's the password?"

Snape looked at her increduously, and shook his head. "You are a strange, unfamiliar witch who has tied me up and crept about the school unknown and invisible. _Why_ would I tell you the password to the Headmaster's office?"

She was losing patience quickly, and she jabbed her wand in his neck again. "Don't think I won't do it, Snape. I've gone through far too much this year to quibble over killing you or not. I just need to speak with Dumbledore. Now, the fucking _password_!"

He seemed to balk at her for a moment, surprised at her fury, and then said quietly, "Fizzing Whizbees." The gargoyle hesitated for a moment, but then easily stepped aside, allowing her to levitate Snape up the passageway before her.

When they came to the doorway, she opened it without a second thought, calling out, "Dumbledore, I came to ask. . . ," but she trailed off when she saw who sat behind the desk, and uncerimoniously dropped Snape to the floor again in her shock.

"Dumbledore?" she breathed out, her hand coming up to cover her mouth.

"What, you're surprised? You just came in here saying you needed to speak with him!" Snape groused, sounding a bit frantic as he tried to struggle out of his bonds. Hermione ignored him, only turning toward him long enough to stick the gag back in before turning to Dumbledore again, who was watching the scene before him with a confused but bemused look.

"And who may I ask has come to see me and bound my Potions Professor up, as well?" His eyes roved up and down her, looking for something familiar, and Hermione felt herself begin to tremble.

"You don't recognize me, sir? Why don't you remember me? And how are you alive? What is going on?!" she said, near hysterics herself though she was trying to contain it. She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly, before she could face the dead man once more.

"Why don't we start from the beginning? And why don't we release Severus before we sit down, hmm? I'm sure he hasn't done anything in the short few minutes since he left here earlier to deserve being tied up."

Hermione glowered at Snape, who lay uncerimoniously on the floor, glaring right back at her. She grinned wickedly and turned back to Dumbledore, seating herself before his desk. "I think he's perfectly fine where he is."

Dumbledore raised an eyebrow at her and then leaned around her to look at Snape, who had wriggled enough to be in a sitting position. He was glaring at the woman's head but made no further attempt to get free.

"Well, if Severus is alright with remaining there for the time being...," he trailed off, seeing Snape roll his eyes, as if he had a choice.

"Oh, it's the least discomfort he'll be in for a long while." She turned to look at Dumbledore curiously. "Sir, I don't understand. He _killed_ you last year. Headmaster Black told me your portrait had animated. How are you still alive?"

There was a choking sound from behind her, but Hermione ignored him for now. Instead, she focused on the area behind the Headmaster's desk, where she knew his portrait should have been.

Dumbledore, for his part looked at her calmly and serenely. "May I please ask your name, miss?"

Hermione sucked in a sharp breath, and scowled. "Hermione Granger." Dumbledore's eyebrows both rose at that, and he glanced behind her at Snape once again.

"And what year is it, Miss Granger?"

Hermione was growing irritated. "Can't you just tell me why you're alive? Why you've left me and Harry and Ron running around the fucking _countryside_ for a year on our own trying to figure out what we were supposed to do?!" She slammed her fist down on the desk and hovered over it, glaring icy hatred at the man before her, who had deserted them. "If this was all part of a plan, well I've truly gone and discovered it now, haven't I? So you needn't hide it any longer and tell any more lies. How are you alive?!" she screeched.

Dumbledore was still disgustingly calm. "If you would answer my initial question, I believe I can answer yours. What year is it for you, Miss Granger?"

Inhaling deeply, Hermione glared and choked out, "1997."

Another sharp intake from the man behind her, and Hermione seemed to realize what was happening. "Shit," she said, her eyes closing in defeat. "Bellatrix sent me to the fucking past? Shit. Shit! Goddamnit, this was not how it was supposed to happen." She raked her hands through her mass of hair and paced the room, back and forth, back and forth. Finally, she turned to stare at Snape once more, really looking at him. She levitated him to a chair and studied him close.

"God, but you're young. I never really noticed how much when I was a first year. You're what, thirty? Thirty-one. God." She rolled her shoulders uneasily and sighed, giving him a wary look as she removed the gag and the ropes. He slipped out of them slowly, watching her closely in case she changed her mind about him.

Once he was free, she ignored him. "What year is it? There's things that need to be done before it gets too far out of hand." When Dumbledore didn't answer her immediately, Hermione scowled darkly. "Dumbledore, there's practically no way for me to get back. God, but we were so close," she grumbled beneath her breath, shaking her head ruefully. "So, I'm stuck here. And I'll be damned if I don't stop this before it all starts again. I won't put Harry and Ron and, oh God, there're two of me now, great; but I won't put us through all that again. No child should have to go through that shit." She turned her eyes to him once more, leaving no room for argument. "Now. _What fucking year is it?_"

Dumbledore pursed his lips, apparently not used to being cursed at, but Hermione really couldn't care less. This man before her had put everyone through so much, used them, molded them, set them up time and time again, and then he had abandoned them with hardly anything helpful to go off of. She was _livid_ with Albus Dumbledore, even if it was the wrong one.

"It is 1992. It is the day before the end of term. The children leave on the Express tomorrow morning. You are very lucky you did not run into anyone that recognized you." He sent a chastising look at her, but it only made her bristle.

"I've been on the run for the past year; I know how to disguise myself, and I know how to protect myself. I caught _Professor Snape_ easily enough," she sniped, glaring at the man in question, who stood behind her in silence, "and I was only coming up here to speak with your portrait, because when you died, you left annoyingly _cryptic_ things behind for us, that were absolutely, stupidly, unhelpful." She glared at him as if he could change that fact, but then she sighed once more and leaned away from the desk, glaring around at the room stonily.

"And since I won't be getting any help from you, I might as well get started righting all the Dark Lord's wrongs before anything catastrophic happens. Harry disposed of Quirrell already, right?" When Dumbledore looked at her in surprise, she gave him such a disappointed look and Hermione just wanted to slap him. "Yes, of course I know about it! It happened six years ago for me, but I clearly remember that stupid chess set. I still have nightmares about it," she ground out. Dumbledore seemed reluctant, but he nodded once, and Hermione nodded back, taking another deep breath. It seemed that was the only thing she could do to keep herself grounded.

"Miss Granger, I cannot begin to understand what has happened to you, but," the Headmaster began, but Hermione's sharp look stopped him dead in his tracks. Her sunken, hollow eyes frightened him, and he realized that over time she had grown into her power and increased it, and she was something to be truly afraid of now, especially if she had endured the oncoming war.

"I'm sorry, Miss Granger. But you must allow things to play out the way they were meant to. Just think what might happen if you were to change something? The proverbial flap of the butterfly's wing." One look at Hermione's face told him that she would not be moved. His eyes flicked to Snape behind her, but Hermione followed the movement and skittered away quickly enough to dodge the stunner sent at her back.

"Oh, shooting your opponents in the back now, are we? How original," she taunted, raising her wand. Snape growled but moved to face her, only to find himself facing three of her. He backpedalled in confusion for a moment, but a moment was all she needed. From her original position, she cast a stunner, a binding spell, and then kicked him across the room with such force that she knew she had broken a few ribs. She turned to Dumbledore, who watched her prowess with wide eyes. She silently cast the strongest shield charm she could think of on herself, and then turned fiery eyes on the Headmaster.

"You are not my Master. And I know more than a few of the terrible things you have done and will do in this war, and you are no better than the Dark Lord. Do not presume to tell me what to do with the information I have, nor to _alter my memory_," she growled, turning to glare at the prone form of Snape. "I will do in a few months what you tried and failed to do in twenty years. Do not try to stop me, you meddling old man. I'm through with you!"

As she turned toward the door, she felt a spell disintegrate on her shield and turned around again, grinning wickedly at the Headmaster. "I told you, you fool. I've spent the last year on the run. I'm not going to turn my back on an enemy without a little protection." She twirled her wand between her fingers idly, waiting for him to respond. She raised an annoyed eyebrow when he remained silent for too long.

"You consider me your enemy." He didn't ask it, but left it hanging in the air between them.

Hermione nodded her head, looking at the floor. "Yes. I trusted you for years, held naive, blind faith in you. And you betrayed us all, left us with no idea what to do. And I'm starting to think that Snape was only following your orders when he killed you." She turned her gaze to the man in question for a long, silent moment as she thought. "Sadly, I can easily picture you telling him there was no other way, and not allowing him to tell anyone else. It really would have worked out well if you weren't gambling with a man's life at the same time." Her eyes grew furious again as Snape began moving and groaning in the corner. "Like I said, I'm through with you, Headmaster. Good day." Then she turned on her heel and disappeared down the hallway.

As Snape woke up, the Headmaster watched after the woman that he had just seen down in the hospital wing not two hours ago. Hopefully, the frightening woman before him remembered to conceal herself. As Snape dragged himself into the chair she had so recently vacated, Albus finally zoned back onto the present task.

"Well," he said, letting the word hang in the air uneasily.

Snape nodded. "Yes." He paused, but continued shortly after. "She is very powerful," he mumbled, eyes weaving toward the wall she had kicked him to. "I am also quite tired of being thrown on the ground and against walls tonight."

Albus stroaked his beard and seemed to come to a decision. "We need her, though. If we are to end this anytime soon. We need her information and her cooperation." He eyed Snape carefully.

"No," he growled, shaking his head. "I will not be your go-between. She thought me a murderer and you another Dark Lord. The future does not seem very promising," he mused, studying his fingernails nonchalantly, trying to ignore the pain in his ribs.

Dumbledore's voice hardened, as it only ever did when Severus didn't want to do what Dumbledore ordered. Snape instantly bristled, though he knew he couldn't fight him, not on this. They really _did_ need her information.

"The school will be empty by tomorrow afternoon. Finish your grading quickly, so the rest of your summer will be free. Then I want you to go with Miss Granger and assist her on this mission of hers. Help her any way you can, but I want to know what's going on. Understand?" Dumbledore's normally jovial blue eyes were now hard and unrelenting. Snape pursed his lips into a harsh line but nodded curtly, groaning inwardly. He was going to be thrown into another wall tonight, he just _knew_ it.


	3. Becoming Reaquainted

Hermione walked down the halls. She had forgotten how much she could miss these walls, the safety that they always offered. Even invisible, she was at risk here, though. She could bump into anyone, and she had no reason to be wandering around the halls in the early hours of the morning.

Just as she rounded the corner toward the Great Hall, wanting to see the enchanted ceiling again, she heard someone calling her name. She stopped and turned around, though she remained hidden for now. She saw Snape round the corner, staring down at the wand in the palm of his hand as it spun, stopping to point right at her. His eyes lifted to stare straight ahead, where he assumed she was.

Pocketing his wand, Snape lifted his hands placatingly and took a step away from her. Silently, she let the charm dissolve around her and she was visible once more, staring at Snape warily with her head held high.

"The Headmaster has changed his mind, as he always does when presented with a better plan," Snape said in a bored voice, rolling his eyes as he did so. Hermione felt her eyes grow wide as her jaw fell just a bit, but he seemed to notice her reaction and straightened up, turning stiff. "He has proposed my assistance in your endeavour and," he said, his face scrunching up in distaste, "he has offered you a room in my chambers until we can leave after the children, tomorrow. I will also have to report to him on a regular basis as to our whereabouts and doings."

Hermione weighted the offer and decided it was the best she was going to get any time soon. And really, Snape's help would be extremely beneficial, especially if he didn't have to worry about Death Eaters dropping by all the time. The war hadn't truly begun yet.

"Alright," she nodded, agreeing carefully. "That sounds acceptable enough." As she started toward the dungeons, Snape hurried to catch up with her, taking the lead and bringing her to a blank expanse of wall near the Slytherin common room. He pressed his hand to a certain brick and suddenly there was a door there, instead of a blank wall.

She followed him in and looked about the room, finding it oddly homey. It was plain and comfortable with a lived-in look to it. There were blankets strewn across the sofa, cups scattered around the room on almost every flat surface, and even a stray shirt wadded up on the floor by a door that she supposed lead to his bedroom.

She tried and failed to stifle a snort of laughter as she looked around, but he heard her and quirked an eyebrow at her. "Sorry. It's just, bachelor life's really treating you good, huh?" Then she started laughing in earnest, and Snape seemed to relax as he took in the state of the rooms.

"Yes, well," he grumbled, moving forward to pick up the mess around the room. Hermione just shook her head and grinned as she rummaged through her bag. She was escatic that it had come with her.

"Snape, do you mind if I use your shower? I haven't been in a proper house in about six or seven months." Snape looked her over critically but nodded, pointing toward a door. She nodded her thanks and walked in, nearly groaning in relief when she saw a large, clean shower and a real toilet, and a sink with clean, running water.

She stripped so quickly she thought she might injure herself and was under the gentle waterfall in moments, savoring the heat and the pressure and the _normalness_ of it all. She let out another groan of pleasure when she used the soap to clean away the months of dirt that a _scourgify_ just _couldn't_ fully get rid of.

When she finally emerged from the bathroom a good 45 minutes later, she met Snape in the kitchen. He raised an eyebrow at her and asked, "And just what was so pleasureable in my bathroom that you had to groan like a... like a," he stuttered, not sure exactly how to insult her without insulting her too much.

She didn't even have the common decency to blush. She just shrugged, grinning wide, and padded over to the counter, riffling through his cupboards to find something substantial to eat. "Don't tell me that when you got back from Azkaban after the first War, that your first shower wasn't exhiliarating and devine. I won't believe you. And I've been living in a forest for months with two teenage boys, don't even talk to me about groaning in the shower."

Snape sputtered. Did the girl have no shame, no propriety?! When she turned to see his face, munching away happily on a bowl of dry cereal, she nearly choked from the look on his face. He seemed genuinely dumbstruck!

Moving past him, she patted his shoulder consolingly. "Don't worry, Snape. You'll get used to me eventually." With another light laugh, she left him and wandered into the living room, probably to start perusing his library.

He watched her leave the room in silence. What had happened to this girl that she was so very different from the little know-it-all in his potions classes? She was no longer eager to prove herself because, he assumed, she had already done that time and time again. She seemed extremely brave, unafraid, and ferocious, and he realized that she seemed far too old for her supposed years. How old was she, really?

He decided that five minutes was enough time to give her alone in his sitting room before he could safely follow her and not seem like he was actually following her. She had finished the cereal and had set the bowl aside. Instead, she was bent over his desk, a piece of parchment before her and her quill moving unbelievably fast.

"What are you writing?" he asked, cupping his coffee in his hands as he tried to read over her shoulder.

"A to-do list, of sorts. Do you happen to have any of Bellatrix Lestrange's hair around? No? Didn't think so."

She continued to scribble away until he finally blurted out, "Why?"

She grinned sheepishly and leaned back in the chair, tugging on a curly strand of hair. "We were planning to use Polyjuice to impersonate her to get into her vault. She had the Sword of Gryffindor at one point, and another relic that we needed to destroy. We'll just have to find some other way to get in there, what with her in Azkaban still." She paused, then frowned in deep concentration. "Though it might not even be there yet. I know it got moved there eventually, but from where, I'm not sure. Hmm, we'll have to do some research on that one...," she mumbled, trailing off as she shrugged it off and returned to her task.

She scribbled away again, and he settled himself down on the table beside her, hitching himself up so he could sit beside her comfortably. She raised a brow at his choice of chair but otherwise ignored him. He was close enough to see what she was writing, but still far enough away to be comfortable. He had a very large desk for many reasons, though, he had to admit, this had not been one when he had ordered it.

"How old are you, Miss Granger?" Snape asked easily, as if he were asking about the weather.

Hermione paused in her writing, but then picked back up quickly again. "I'm nineteen. I was one of the oldest in my year to begin with, but using a Time-Turner in my third year really tacked on a bit more time." She lifted her eyes to meet his for a moment, as if she were searching for something there, and then she shrugged and went back to work. "You can call me Hermione. From what you've told me of the Headmaster's plan, we'll be together for quite a bit of time from now on. Might as well use each other's names."

Snape tensed for a moment, frightened. He watched this witch at his desk, scribbling away facts about the future, and felt..., well he wasn't quite sure how he felt. There was fear, and uncertainty, but there was also an exhilaration, an excitement that they were finally going to be doing something productive, after such a long silence.

"So, we're still at war in your time. He returned?" He didn't have to explain who _He_ was, and Hermione nodded stonily. Just then, something odd came to his mind. "You call him the Dark Lord. Why?"

Hermione's face twitched and an involuntary shiver raced down her spine. "Towards the end, there was a Taboo on his name. If you said it, you had maybe five minutes before the Snatchers arrived. We got caught once, Harry's _brilliant_ plan to get to Malfoy Manner, the idiot. That's how I ended up here. When we were leaving, Bellatrix threw a spell at us just as we were Disapperated out of there. It hit me, and I started dissolving in this golden, spidery light. And then I woke up in the dungeons."

The scratch of the quill was the only noise for long minutes as he processed what she had told him. Finally, he said, "You were at Malfoy Manor at the mercy of Bellatrix Lestrange. Did she hurt you?"

He wasn't expecting the crazed, wounded bark of laughter that escaped her lips, and she hitched forward, wrapping her arms around her stomach as she tried to control her breathing and calm down. When she could breath regularly again, she nodded, grinning up at him wickedly.

"I didn't scream. She tried to make me scream for almost two hours, but I wouldn't give her the satisfaction. She used the _Cruciatus_ on and off, took a knife to my arm," she said, trailing off as she tugged the sleeve back from her arm, where the word _Mudblood_ was etched across her creamy skin. She tsked herself and mumbled, "Oh, it opened up again." Taking out her wand, she quickly and easily disinfected the wound and healed it up again, and he frowned at how easily she had done it. As he looked at her sunken, pale face, he wondered how many times she had played mediwitch to her little ragtag unit of friends over the years, especially the last year.

"You said you were under the _Cruciatus_? I have a potion to help with the afteraffects." He rose and came back quickly, handing her a bright blue potion. She didn't wait for him to say anything more as she downed the potion like a shot, drinking it all down in one large gulp.

She threw the vial down and spat out, "Gods, but that was disgusting. Thanks." She wiped her mouth and he watched her relax for the first time that evening, sinking back into the chair as she let the potion ease her sore muscles.

"I will need to finish my grading before we can leave tomorrow. I should be done by noon, and we can make arrangements then. Until that time, continue to work on your 'To-Do List', and I will let you be until I am finished."

Hermione was shaking her head, though. "No, it's fine, really. I know everything we need to do, but it's not like we'll do it all in one day. I can help with your grading." When he cast her a dubious look, Hermione scowled. "I helped Madame Pomfrey with Hospital Wing potions for two years, and I had the highest marks in your class until Slughorn took over, and that was only because Harry found your potions textbook in the cabinet."

Snape's eyes seemed to be bugging out of his head. "My potions textbook? What are you talking about?"

She leveled a strong, frightening look at him. "You're the Half-Blood Prince. The book's in the cabinet in the potions classroom. Harry hadn't known that he would qualify for the class until he got to school, and then it was too late to order one for the first day of classes. So Slughorn told him to use one of the old ones. It's probably in there, now. Go and see."

Snape looked furious as he stood and stomped out of the room, returning minutes later holding an old, tattered book. "How could you possibly know that that book was in there? The exact spot! Did you put it there?" he accused, waving the book in her face angrily.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Severus, really. I'm from the _future_, you dolt!" she said with a grin, wiggling her fingers in a mystical way. "Of course I knew where it was. I was there when Harry and Ron fought over who would not have to use it."

"Potter cheated with my book?" Snape growled.

Hermione sighed loudly. "Yes, we've already established that. But now you have the book, and he won't be able to. Calm down, Mr. Huff-and-Puff." Snape whirled to glare at her, until he realized he had been breathing incredibly hard. He calmed himself down and settled back on the desk. She smiled at him and nodded, leaning forward to pull the giant stack of final essays toward her, scanning them over quickly before letting out a very unladylike snort.

"Good Lord, I feel sorry for you, Severus! I forgot how terrible first year essays are." She divided the stack in half and dumped one half on Snape's lap before digging into her own with an amazing zeal, looking more alive than he had seen her, even while she had been throwing hex after hex at him.

They worked through the night, and Hermione finished her stack at nearly the same time Snape did. She smiled at him and glanced at the clock over the fireplace. "I'm going to get a few hours sleep before we leave. You probably should, too," she said, looking him up and down, noticing that he looked a bit peaky. "We don't have to leave for a while, yet." Without waiting for a response, she wandered away down the hallway and walked into the guest bedroom, closing and warding the door carefully.


	4. Phineus and Explanations

**A/N: Hello! First of all, thank you all for reading and reviewing and following! I know this one's a bit shorter, but I promised to get it out by this week. I'll just put what didn't meld with this chapter into the next one. I'm sort of making this up as I go along, so bear with me when it seems like I don't update often. I'm trying, I really am! Also, I would like your opinion. Do you think this should be a Hermione/Severus romance, or just have them as buddies? The only problem with romance is that I can't write romance to save my life, so it might seem a bit forced and not meld quite right with the rest of the story. What do you guys think? Let me know, and without further ado, here's the next chapter!**

It was now morning, and Hermione had yet to reemerge from her commandeered room. Snape was puttering about, packing things he might need into a lightweight bag and trying to keep his hands busy while waiting on Hermione. He noticed the bag she had brought with her last night sitting on the table and noticed a faint noise coming from within. Slightly alarmed, Severus aimed his wand at it warily as he fumbled with the clasp.

Once the clasp slid open, a very familiar voice could clearly be heard shouting obscenities and insults, presumably aimed at Hermione.

"Granger! For Merlin's sake, answer me, girl!" Confused, Severus reached into the bag, only momentarily shocked to find his entire arm and more easily fit inside. He felt a frame and quickly tugged it out of the bag, setting the portrait of former Headmaster Black on the sofa, staring at him in confusion.

"Phineus? What exactly is your portrait doing in Miss Granger's bag?" The sudden light and appearance of Snape seemed to shock Black into silence. Then, just as suddenly, he was back full force.

"Severus Snape! How did you get your hands on her bag? She needs that thing, and you know it! We just had this conversation two days ago." Severus raised a brow, waiting for the portrait to realize what was going on.

As the portrait stood there sputtering in indignant anger, Snape heard Hermione's door open and close, and her soft footfalls entering the living room.

"Oh, Phineus. Did you have something you needed to speak with me about?" Hermione stepped forward into the portrait's eyeline, and seemed to send the man into an epileptic fit as he floundered about and glared between her and Snape.

Finally, he ground out, "How are you with him? What is going on, Granger? I was just in the Headmaster's office, and Snape was there going through detention forms. How can he be down here, now? And with you, no less?"

Hermione smiled and said apologetically, "I'm sorry, Headmaster. I should have started by explaining. Remember how Harry had that _brilliant_ plan to use the Taboo to get us captured? Well, he went ahead with the plan without thinking it through, _of course,_ and we were taken to Malfoy Manor. Bellatrix was having her fun with me when Dobby, you remember that funny little house elf I told you about? Well, Dobby rescued us, but as he was apparating us all away, Bellatrix sent a parting shot at me. It was some sort of spell that sent me back in time, or perhaps another reality, seeing as nothing has changed in our original timeline. Right?"

Phineus took a deep breath and glared at the girl before him. "How you get yourself into these messes, I'll never understand. Yes, everything is as it was before."

Hermione, looking thoughtful, leaned forward and asked calmly, "Phineus, did Dumbledore order Professor Snape to kill him? I know the curse in his hand was terrible, but I'm assuming it was worse than he let anyone else know. I've put enough information together, I think, to assume he did."

Phineus was still as a real painting for a few long moments, until he finally gave her the slightest of nods. Hermione sighed and frowned, turning to look at the younger Snape at her side, watching everything said with a furrowed brow, seeming confused and even a bit hurt.

"Do you think you could help me communicate with Headmaster Snape? Let him know what's happened and that the boys will need help? I know he can't do anything directly, but he can try something. And let him know that I figured out he had to kill Dumbledore, and I still trust him."

Phineus looked at her for a very long time, watching her intently, before nodding and disappearing from the frame. Hermione sat before it on the table, waiting for Black to return with any kind of news. Severus continued to wander about, even going so far as to bring her a selection of breakfast foods and tea, which she accepted distractedly.

Finally, after what seemed like ages, Phineus returned, looking harassed and harried. He ran his hand through his hair and straightened his coat before looking up at Hermione with a smirk. "Well, the old bat didn't take it very well at all, but he seemed very pleased and relieved that you didn't think the worst of him, like everyone else is happy to. He said he would look into finding the boys and helping them how he can, though he's not sure how much help he will be able to give. He told me to let you know that it is most likely another universe we have landed in, as nothing has changed for him."

Hermione pondered that information for a moment before nodding. "Let him know that I'm perfectly fine staying here, and he needn't try and find a way to send me back; I'm here now and might as well make the best of it. No need to burden him further while there's a war going on, still. Did he say how things are progressing there recently?"

Growling, Phineus spit out, "Those Death Eaters masquerading as professors have nearly gone too far on quite a few students. Even I never did anything remotely similiar when I was Headmaster. It makes me sick, and I joined together with the other portraits and the ghosts to cause as much trouble for those bastards as possible."

Smiling, Hermione nodded. "Thank you, Headmaster. That's very kind of you." Looking down at her watch, she sighed. "I'm going to put you back in the bag, for now. Severus and I are going horucrux hunting this summer!" Phineus didn't answer, just raised a brow at her faked enthusiasm. "Oh, don't start. I know it needs to be done, but seriously, I just did this, this is getting ridiculous." She rolled her eyes as the Headmaster snorted his amusement, and she gently hid him away in her bag once more after a hasty goodbye.

Turning back to Severus with a sigh, she saw the burning curiosity in his eyes as he tried to pretend he truly wasn't. Taking pity on him, she flopped down on the sofa with a smile and waved her hand at him. "Go ahead, you have questions. Ask away, we have time."

Snape seemed to gather himself up before replying. "Why are you carrying around Phineus Black's portrait? And where did you get it? That's not the one from the Headmaster's office."

She nodded tranquily. "The portrait is his from the Black family home, Grimmauld Place. I took it from there before we went on the run so we could keep in contact with the rest of the wizarding world, and know what was going on."

"And just how did you get him to stop shouting about Mudbloods and actually get him to help? And be civil, no less."

"He took a liking to me, even though I'm Muggleborn. He knew how much I needed his help, and he also feels useful this way. He's quite good to go to for advice, as well. If you can get around his Slytherin answers."

Snape nodded, quiet for a moment before his next question. "You said you trust him, the other me, I mean. Why is that? Until yesterday, you thought he was a murderer and a traitor. Now suddenly it's all the Headmaster's fault and I was just following orders?"

Nodding along, Hermione couldn't deny that was exactly what had happened. "You've been my Professor for six years, now. You've always been strict and mostly unfair, but I can't see you as the consummate Death Eater, killing the Headmaster just because you could and because it would bring you higher up in the Dark Lord's orginization. Actually, that's a reason I thought it was all part of Dumbledore's plan. It just had too many good points to be pure chance. And I trust you, I always have." She shrugged easily and then stretched, standing up to slip her shoes back on. "I think that's enough revelations for one morning, don't you? Let's get started."

Leaving the conversation at that, Hermione stood and made her way toward the door, slipping her bag securely over her shoulder once more. She smiled at Snape and then effectively disappeared from sight, and Snape sighed. Of course she would need to be invisible while in the castle, no one else but Dumbledore knew she was there.

He squared his shoulders and assumed a dark scowl, ensuring any students they might run into would most likely turn tail and scurry away long before they got within talking distance. He heard Hermione stiffle a giggle at his side and internally rolled his eyes, taking long strides out of his quarters and down the hall. The soft pitter-patter of Hermione's small feet sounded from his right but his own footsteps masked them perfectly. Hoping they didn't run into anyone, they set off; Hermione planning on which books she should look through first and Severus wondering just how his summer became this crazy.


	5. RESEARCH and horcruxes

"To the library, then," Hermione's disembodied voice whispered from his left. He tilted his head slightly in agreement and strode forward, robes billowing. A soft giggle was heard from Hermione's vicinity and Snape's eyes narrowed slightly in question. "You're billowing again. I haven't seen that in a year. We all used to wonder how you did it." She giggled again and Snape relaxed slightly, feeling like rolling his eyes but abstaining. Barely.

"You should try to be a bit quieter, there are still children in this castle. No one will be in the library except Madame Pince, but until we get there, we could run into anyone." A soft sigh came from Hermione, and then utter silence. Snape continued on, not quite paying attention to his surroundings as he marched to his destination. Somewhere on the second floor, he heard a surprised gasp from his companion but it was too late to stop his collision with the three students coming around the corner, laden down with trunks.

Taking a large step back, he glared down at the three young students and winced. They just had to run into these three students. "Potter, Weasley, Granger." He smirked internally when he saw their eyes go wide and the little Granger girl let out an eep. His enjoyment dampened slightly when he looked at the little girl and thought of how she had changed in so short a time into the woman hidden beside him. Eyes narrowing, he shoved the thoughts away and frowned. "Well, what are you waiting for? You have a train to catch, do you not?"

That got them moving. The tiny first years gathered up their things and ran off down the hall, only the Granger girl remembering to shout an apology over her shoulder as they made their getaway. Snape watched them go until they disappeared around the corner heading for the stairs that would take them to the first floor, before turning forward and returning with his walk to the library.

They kept on in silence for a few moments before Hermione broke in again. "Well, we've already begun to change things. That never happened when I was a first year." Hermione seemed content to leave her observation at that as they entered the library, Snape holding the door open for her. She touched his elbow on her way past, letting him know she was safely inside, and he let the door slide closed.

They wandered to a table in the back of the library, hoping Pince would be kept busy for the morning while they researched. Hermione took a final, cursory look around before letting her spell dissolve, revealing herself. She set her bag down on the table and then set up a heavy silencing and privacy spell around their alcove. Just to be safe, she tapped her wand to her head a few times, subtly changing her appearance in case anyone wandered in unannounced. Her hair became straight and dark, her skin taking on a healthier, tanner tone, and her figure filled out so that she didn't look quite so emmaciated.

Snape watched her with undisguised interest. "If you do not mind me asking," he began, watching her plop down at the table and tug out a beaten Muggle notebook. "How have you progressed so much in such a short time? There are many graduating seventh years that do not have your prowess; even fewer that could have taken me down multiple times."

Hermione sighed, playing with the edges of the notebook before opening it and scribbling notes within. Finally, she looked up and smiled.

"I think that's a conversation for another time. Let's just say, I was very observant. Very determined not to be a victim in this war." She nodded to herself, staring at the tabletop intently, steely pride shining in her dark eyes. She flicked her gaze up to her companion and grinned lazily, leaning back in her chair comfortably.

They continued to study each other for a few heavy moments, before Hermione's eyes widened in abject horror. "Oh, no. Harry. I forgot about Harry!" she shrieked. Her long, thin hand fluttered to her mouth, completing the look of fear almost bleeding from her.

"What? What happens to the brat?" Severus asked, confused. The boy was going home for the summer. Surely he would be safe?

Her eyes hardened and she stood, leaning her hands on the table to more easily throw her words in his face. "His relatives are angry with him about the way Hagrid barged into their hideaway to retrieve Harry before his first year. They take it out on him this summer. The moment he walks through their door, his things will be thrown into the cupboard under the stairs and he will be locked into his cousin's second bedroom. They put bars on his window and a catflap on his doop, for Merlin's sake! He didn't like talking about that summer, but what little I got from him over the years, he barely got fed or allowed out to use the bathroom. He will not be staying there. Blood wards be damned!" she growled. She knew what those people did and would do to her friend, and she couldn't live with herself if she just let it happen again.

Severus frowned. That didn't sound like what he had been told of Potter's home life. Dumbledore had assured him on multiple occasions that the boy was spoiled and cared for, that he wanted for nothing and basked in his relatives' praise and love.

He opened his mouth to say as much, when Hermione hissed in anger and glared at him. He held his tongue, staring at her in shock. He had never been screeched at like that, before.

"We are going to pick Harry up tonight. I'm starting to think Dumbledore's blood wards excuse is simply that, an excuse. Every summer, Harry spent different amounts of time at his relatives' house, to 'recharge' the wards." Severus raised an eyebrow at that. That sounded highly unlikely. Hermione nodded in agreement. "Wards don't work that way. I know that now, but none of us knew that then. Well, now, but you know what I mean. Harry just did what Dumbledore told him to, whether he was suffering or not. He almost didn't make it to school second year, because the Dursley's wouldn't let him out of his room. The Weasley twins and Ron broke him out using Arthur's flying Ford Anglia." Hermione shook her head with a wry grin, remembering their overembelished stories about that night.

"So, we're not researching?" Severus asked, just to be sure he understood where this rant of her's was going.

Hermione rolled her eyes and sighed. "We have time until the train gets to London. We can apparate there, the children can't. Until then, we can research. But it's not like we can't come back."

Tapping her fingers on the table, Hermione reasoned out where to start. "Now, right now I know for sure the location of the locket, the diary, and the cup. However, none of them will be easy to get to. Slytherin's locket is in the Black ancestral home, Tom Riddle's diary is in the possession of Lucius Malfoy, and Hufflepuff's cup is in Bellatrix Lestrange's vault in Gringotts." The tapping continued as she thought. They hadn't figured out the other horcruxes before she had been cursed, but knowing what she did, she felt somewhat confidant in where to start researching.

"It seems that he focused mostly on artifacts from the Founders. Slytherin's locket and Hufflepuff's cup. What other artifacts are there around that are widely known to have belonged to the Founders?" Severus thought out loud, running a long finger across his lips as he though.

Hermione nodded, and walked away into the stacks, coming back with a well-loved old book she had spent many a day with. Hogwarts, a History held in one hand, Hermione grinned down at Severus. "Best place to start, right?" Severus snorted and leaned back in his chair, watching her plop down and start flipping through the thick book, barely scanning it.

After a few minutes of furious flipping, Hermione grinned wide and looked up at Severus. "Ravenclaw's diadem. It's been missing for years, but that's the most well-known possession of Ravenclaw's." Her smile faltered for a moment as she seemed to realize something. "Do you think that he would make a horcrux from something from Gryffindor? An argument could be made either way, don't you think? He hates Gryffindor, yet it would fit with the Founder's items."

Severus took the time to think about it, before shaking his head. "I highly doubt he would put a part of his soul anywhere near something of Gryffindor's. He despises Gryffindors, naturally, him being a Slytherin. No, we can most assuredly rule out anything of his. How many do you think he made?" Severus asked curiously, noticing her sudden preoccupation, her eyes shifting away awkwardly. "Hermione?"

He leaned forward, locking eyes with her intently. "What? What more?" he asked softly, watching her closely. If she tried to lie to him...

"There's another one. No one ever told us, but I've had my suspicions. I'm nearly one hundred percent sure I'm correct, but if I'm wrong..."

"Hermione, just tell me. Spit it out."

Sighing heavily, Hermione said slowly, "I think Harry might be a horcrux. Accidentally, of course. But a horcrux all the same," she whispered, staring down at her hands blankly, waiting for Severus to explode.

He slumped down in his seat, unsure how to feel about this newest revelation. If he got any more surprises today, he would surely keel over. He tried to sift through everything he knew about the boy. He had survived the Killing Curse cast by the Dark Lord, destroying the man's body at the same time. Surely that was more than enough for a horcrux to be made, even if it was accidental. Suddenly, everything Dumbledore had made him do, made him promise, made sense. To protect the boy, to train him, to keep him safe. Dumbledore knew Potter was a horcrux, knew that the boy would have to die before the Dark Lord could be killed. A terrible anger and betrayal flooded through Severus's system before he slammed his occlumency shields back up, breathing deeply to calm himself.

It obviously hadn't been quick enough, though, because Hermione was looking at him with big, wide eyes, waiting on pins and needles for him to say something. "Really? Well, that puts some things into perspective, then." He turned his burning glare to the tabletop and let a long, strained breath out through his teeth.

"I'm sorry. I know how much you've been through and would have gone through to protect him. I really am sorry." Hermione stared down at her folded hands, waiting for his anger to pass.

"Hermione," Severus growled a few minutes later. He sounded both furious and defeated in the same moment. She had never heard him sound like that before, and lifted shocked eyes up to his face.

"I know this is not your fault. So Harry Potter is probably a horcrux. We will figure it out when the time comes. Other than those four, how many others are there?" He sounded far too calm for her comfort, but Hermione answered him anyway.

"Two more. We knew there were six for sure, and then I figured out that Harry is a horcrux as well. It makes sense, though, if you think about it. The number seven in arithmancy is very important, some would argue the most magical number there is. It would make perfect sense for the Dark Lord to have created seven horcruxes."

Severus nodded, agreeing with her logic. Now they had four known and two unknown horcruxes. Something hit him, then. They were going to retrieve Potter later that afternoon. He narrowed his eyes at Hermione, glaring heatedly. "Just what do you have in mind for Potter this summer? He most certainly cannot come along with us on this horcrux hunt! And Dumbledore will surely know if he never returns home. Also, you most certainly cannot reveal yourself to him. You will have to create a new persona for yourself, as it is, if you plan to act openly."

Hermione frowned, looking deep in thought. Severus couldn't help but snark, "Know any good forgers for a new birth certificate and life history?" He smirked at her while she glared.

Finally, she deflated and sunk down in her chair. "No, sadly. Being on the run does not suddenly grant you becoming best buddies with the criminal underground." She eyed him carefully, then asked, "You know any?"

He rolled his eyes. "I'm sure I could ask around. You will need to come up with a story to tell Potter tonight, however."

Sighing, Hermione nodded and returned their book to the shelf. Checking her watch, she realized it was much later than she thought it was. "How about we grab something to eat and then head out to pick up Harry? They should be pulling into the station soon."

Severus nodded in agreement and they returned to his office for a quick lunch before wandering out the front door. As they walked to the apparation point, Hermione felt the uncomfortable, prickling feeling of eyes on her. Shivering, she stopped and slowly turned around, looking around her immediate area before looking up at the castle itself. She was too far away to see any definite figures in the windows, but she saw a bright blue clad figure quickly move away from a window high up on the castle and growled. Dumbledore had been watching them walk away. Her skin rippled with the anger she felt at the Headmaster, but she quickly reeled it in, taking deep breaths.

When she turned back to Severus, he simply raised a brow at her and continued on. "You should not let the Headmaster get to you so much. He will do what he thinks best, and there is nothing we can do to dissuade him from his goals. In his mind, he is the only one with all the answers."

Hermione huffed and shook her head in exasperation. "The man is not infalliable. He makes mistakes as well," she growled, his hands in tight fists at her sides.

Severus studied her for a long moment before he inclined his head and simply said, "Indeed."

Hermione sent him a grateful smile before taking a deep breath and disappearing on the spot. Severus followed her seconds later, a small smirk on his face.

Dumbledore watched Severus and Ms. Granger walking toward the barrier of the wards around Hogwarts, no doubt on their way to do something important. He couldn't shake the wrongness and anger he felt about the situation, though. He was angry with the wisp of a girl, who had simply shown up out of nowhere and attacked them, all the while spouting off knowledge she should not have.

He was not in control of this situation, this war, any longer and it made him furious. He was the Leader of the Light, how dare this little girl barge in and take everything into her own hands?!

He had to admit that the knowledge she held behind her impressive occlumency shields had to be terribly important. Her knowledge should be his. Just the thought of her refusing to work with him left him shaking in anger. Just looking at her, seven stories down and so far away already made him sick to his stomach. He could not control this woman. She seemed to know things about what was to happen in this war. And if she knew about that, what did she know about him? He did not want to cross her and find out.

Bitterness coated his aura as he glared at his spy and the time traveler spiriting him away with her. As he leaned closer to the window, he saw her stiffen and turn to face him. She scanned the windows of the school before stopping at his window. He stayed a moment too long, glaring at her, knowing she wouldn't be able to see it from her distance. He stepped away from the window when she turned away once more and apparated away with Severus.

Dumbledore made a vow to himself at that moment, anger clouding his better judgement. He would get her under his thumb. She would be his pawn in this war, whether she liked it or not. Her information was powerful, and he wanted that power.

And he would have it. Freely or forcefully. He would have it.


	6. Picking Up Harry

**A/N: I just wanted to thank everyone for their comments, reviews, favorites, and follows! I really appreciate it! Enjoy the next chapter.**

When they finally made their way onto the platform, they found it extremely empty. Looking around with a huff, Hermione shoved her long black hair out of her face and scanned the platform for any hint of Harry.

"We are too late, it would seem," Severus drawled, glaring around at their surroundings. So far, the only person they had seen milling about was a station employee.

Hermione just rolled her eyes and started walking towards the barrier between the Muggle and Wizarding worlds. With a long-suffering sigh, Severus took off after her, grumbling all the way through the barrier. "Surely we've missed him. His guardians will have no doubt taken him home by now! The station was dead."

Shaking her head, Hermione walked forward until she caught sight of the tell-tale messy black hair. There he was, sitting in a corner of the Muggle train station on his trunk, Hedwig clicking at him softly. Strenthening her glamour and putting a sweet smile on her face, Hermione waved for Severus to stay back and then made her way steadily towards the small eleven year old.

With one final deep breath, Hermione stopped in front of Harry's trunk and waited for him to raise his bent head to face her. He looked confused for a long moment before Hermione smiled calmly down at him and squatted in front of him, taking a good look at her young friend. He was far skinnier than she ever remembered him being, with ill-fitting glasses and clothes. "Hello, Harry," she said simply, letting him study her in turn.

"'lo, ma'am," he mumbled, pulling into himself, making himself smaller than before. It was almost shocking to her; Hermione had forgotten how very shy the boy had been around adults, especially women.

"You just came from Hogwarts, didn't you?" she continued, taking one of his small hands in her own and trying to only give off good vibes. She knew Harry was very good at reading people and the feelings they gave off. When he nodded to her question, he looked down at their joined hands with something close to shock, and Hermione sympathized. "My friend and I heard about your conversation with the Headmaster, this morning. That you wanted to stay and he told you no."

Harry gaped at her in shock, before stuttering quickly, "It's a-alright, really. I didn't mean to cause any problems, I just really don't get along with my relatives and they don't get along with me, and I just thought, wouldn't it be wonderful if I could stay at Hogwarts all year? And I thought I might as well ask, you know, in case I could." His voice was wistfull and full of longing, and Hermione nodded to show the boy he was being heard.

"I totally understand, Harry. Like I said, my friend and I heard about your conversation and what the Headmaster told you. However, we don't agree that you should have to go back to people who treat you so badly, and we decided to do something about it."

The shocked look still hadn't left Harry's face and it was so intense that she almost wanted to laugh. Suddenly, though, he looked wary and frightened. "How do you know anything about my life at the Dursley's?" he asked suspiciously, but kept his hand in hers, almost subconciously.

"Let's just say I've done my research. If I thought they were taking good care of you, I wouldn't be here now, would I?" Harry shrugged and Hermione smiled, once more. "I want to take you home with us, now. I'm afraid of what the Dursley's might do, if they get you back now. I want you to be safe and happy."

Harry seemed to think that over carefully until he eyed her shrewdly and asked, "Who's your friend? I've never seen you around school, before."

"Now, I know it might not endear me to you, but my friend is Professor Snape." The boy's eyebrows seemed to shoot to his hairline and he frowned hard, flexing his hand a few times in Hermione's before sighing.

"Are you sure it's okay? Professor Snape doesn't really like me," he whispered, looking up at Hermione through long lashes.

Hermione grinned and tapped Harry on the nose fondly. "I'm quite sure. I've known Professor Snape for a few years now, and he's not truly as terrible as he portrays himself to be, I promise. Everything will be alright, Harry." Hermione stood and held her hand out to Harry. "Why don't we shrink down your trunk and let Hedwig meet us there? I'm quite sure she wouldn't appreciate apparation." Harry nodded and opened Hedwig's cage for her.

"Now, Hedwig. We're going to be staying with this nice lady and Professor Snape this summer. Do you think you can find your way to us?" When the lovely snowy owl hooted in reply and soared away, Harry turned back to Hermione with a confused look. "Sorry, ma'am. You know my name, but I don't know your's."

Hermione thought for a quick moment before choosing the first name she could think of. "My name is Morgana Wilkins, Harry. Now, I think we've kept Professor Snape waiting long enough, don't you?" Harry smiled sheepishly and stood quickly, his hand still wrapped up in her own. Hermione tapped Harry's trunk and shrunk it down, then shrunk Hedwig's cage down, as well. She stowed them away in her bottomless bag and then tugged Harry toward the shadowy alcove that Severus had waited in. When Harry caught sight of Snape, he paled slightly and huddled closer to Hermione while still trying to seem tall and confidant.

"Hello, Professor. I... I appreciate you and Miss Wilkins letting me stay with you this summer. Thank you," he said calmly, squaring his shoulders and looking the Professor in the eye. Hermione smiled proudly down at her young friend and then gave a pointed look to Severus, one that screamed _Play nice or so help me_. He sighed heavily, rolling his eyes at this annoying woman he was stuck with, and glared down at Harry. Hermione noticed it wasn't as heated as it usually was, though, and smiled even more proudly at them trying to get along.

"It is not a problem, Potter." He took a deep breath and started wandering off, having full faith that the others would follow him as he continued on with his spiel. "There will be rules to follow and consequences should you break them while you stay under my roof, Mr. Potter. Understood?" He stopped abruptly and stared down the small boy over his hooked nose and waited for his answer.

"Yes, sir." Harry nodded but squeezed Hermione's hand hard, leaning into her the tiniest bit. Hermione ran her thumb over his tiny hand in comfort and tugged them along once more to their destination.

When they finally stopped walking, they found themselves in a dark, deserted alley. Hermione tightened her grip on Harry's hand and then reached out for Severus. "Care to take us both? I've never been to your home." Severus let out a heavy breath but nodded, tucking them both in close to his body in a semblance of a hug and twisted, the tugging of apparation overtaking them.

They were on their way to Prince Manor.


End file.
